Tokyo tightens security for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's funeral
(Baonghean.vn) - According to Reuters, the State funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on September 27 is receiving much attention, in the context of local authorities' efforts to avoid repeating the security mistakes pointed out in the assassination of Mr. Abe in July.
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People lay flowers next to a portrait of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. Photo: Reuters |
Mr Abe was shot at close range by a man with a homemade gun as he gave a campaign speech in the western city of Nara, shocking a country where violent crime is rare and dignitaries typically travel with modest protection.
Japanese authorities, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, have acknowledged that security failures were among the reasons for Mr. Abe’s assassination. And with many important guests from abroad attending the funeral at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, such problems should not have been allowed to occur.
It is known that the security plans include:
- Close roads around the national funeral site from 2 p.m. on September 27, and restrict airspace within a 46-km radius from the site from September 26 to 28.
- From 10am on September 27, the public will place flowers at designated locations near the funeral site. Their luggage will be checked and some may have to go through metal detectors.
- Japan is implementing maximum security, with tens of thousands of police officers, including about 2,500 people, being sent from many places to strengthen security in Tokyo. Officers and sniffer dogs have also increased anti-terror patrols at Tokyo's main train stations and Haneda Airport in recent days.
- Police are patrolling highways for suspicious objects, and checking around embassies and hotels where international visitors will be staying.
- About 700 foreign guests will fly to Japan to attend the state funeral, including about 50 current or former leaders of countries.
- VIP guests include US Vice President Kamala Harris, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and European Council President Charles Michel. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has cancelled his plans to attend Abe's state funeral to focus on responding to the typhoon.
- More than 1,000 Japanese military personnel will be deployed at the funeral, which is expected to have 4,300 guests. An honor guard will fire a 19-gun salute to bid farewell to Mr. Abe, and a military orchestra will perform.
- The Japanese government plans to spend 1.65 billion yen ($11.5 million) on the state funeral, including 800 million yen for security and 600 million yen to receive foreign delegations.
